Armored scale insects
Class: Insects
Common Name
Armored scale insects
Scientific name
Members of the Diaspididae family: Aonidiella aurantii, Parlatoria pergandii, Chrysomphalus aonidum, Lepidosaphes beckii, and more
Vector of diseases
No
Potential Hosts
Citrus
Who am I?
Armored scale insects are small pests of citrus. The eggs are laid underneath the female’s body. The first instar crawler searches for an adequate feeding spot on plants parts, including foliage, twigs, and fruits. They then form a protective shield separate from their bodies that appears as a whitish-like dom that eventually takes the look of a ‘nipple’. Infestations of armored scales will not result in the formation of sooty mold.
Control measures
Cultural
Sanitation: Cut off and destroy heavily affected leaves.
The sooner the better: It is easier and more cost effective to overcome infestations during the initial stage. Make a routine to monitor the field regularly and search plants for the presence of soft scale insects.
Conventional (chemical)
The following are a few generic names of products found throughout large parts of the world: Imidacloprid, acetamiprid, spirotetramat, sulfoxaflor, and pyriproxyfen
Organic
Summer oil can be applied.
Biological
Armored scales have many natural predators such as follows: Aphytis melinus, Aphytis hispanicus, Aphytis Lepidosaphes, Chilocorus bipustulatus, and Encarsia inquirenda.
*Names marked in red are considered to be highly poisonous to beneficial insects
*Names marked in green are considered to be IPM (integrated pest management) compatible
Caution and careful notice should be taken when using any plant protection products (insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides). It is the grower’s sole responsibility to keep track of the legal uses and permissions with respect to the laws in their country and destination markets. Always read the instructions written on labels, and in a case of contradiction, work in accordance to the product label. Keep in mind that information written on the label usually applies to local markets. Pest control products intended for organic farming are generally considered to be less effective in comparison to conventional products. When dealing with organic, biologic, and to some extent a small number of conventional chemical products, a complete eradication of a pest or disease will often require several iterations of a specific treatment or combination of treatments.